Mine trap door



Maya, 1949. L. H. HAwkEs MINE TRAP DOOR 2 Shets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 5, 1945 .Nm m N\ AMTI l vm W- mw w\ I: QN w *N um, N RW NN .if IIL IIL vi k\ Patented May 3, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT GFF ICE MINE TRAP DOOR Lawrence H. Hawkes, CanneltongWJ-Va. Application November 5, 19915, SerrialANo. 626,728

2 Claims. 1l

This invention relates to a trap door primarily for mines andit Yaims to provide a novel construction whe'rein'the' door may be operated by the car moving toward the outer side thereof.

In addition, it is aimed to provide a construction which is exceedingly simple, inexpensive and durable, which is normally closed, and which will aiord better ventilation, save time and labor in use, and reduce the accident hazard.

More specific objects and advantages will become apparent upon a consideration of the description following taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings- Figure 1 is a view primarily in plan, showing the invention in connection with a mine, the door being closed;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the parts similar to Figure l but with the door in open position;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure l.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, a conventional mine door is suggested at HJ which is mounted to swing on a vertical axis by means of hinges at Il, connected to an upright I2. The free end of the door is adapted to abut another upright I3 at the side of the doorway I 4, opposite to the upright l2. A conventional track is shown at l5 extending through the doorway I4 so that a mine car cr its equivalent I6, may be moved over the same into and out of the mine. The tracks or rails of the track l5 are shown at l'l and wheels l2 of the car l5 are adapted to traverse the same.

Fastened to the door ID, particularly to a bracket I9 rigid thereon, by means of a pivot 2li, is a toggle link 2l, which is also pivcted at 22 to an operating lever 23 pivoted by means of a bolt or the like at 24 to a post or upright Extending from the lever Z3 toward the track i5 is a bumper beam 26, the same being secured to the post 25 by the bolt 24 and by means of a bolt 2'! and a series of openings 28, being adjustably fastened to the lever 23 approximately 'midway of its length. One end of the beam or bumper 2B extends rearwardly beyond the post 25 and may have one or more weights 29 adjustably secured thereon to counterbalance the weight of the part of the beam 26 located on the opposite side of the pivot 24,

On the inside ofthe door 10,' a 'bumper barfor rod 3&3 may be4 secured as shown.

One or more springs 3l is'mounted by a'ipst or upright 32 adjacent to the post 25 and it extends relatively close to the lever 23 so that it will be compressed by the latter when the door is opened as shown in Figure 2.

Normally the door I IJ is closed as shown in Figure 1. In this View, bumper 26 extends over the track l5 and in the path of movement of the car t from the outside of the mine toward the interior thereof and in the direction of the arrow. Such car 6 in its movement will strike the bumper 26, moving the same as shown in Figure 2, so that it actuates the lever 23 and through the toggle link 2| swings the door l0 to the open position of Figure 2, and fully in front of the bumper 2S, the car |6 thus being free to move to the inside of the mine. Attention is called to the fact that in the position of Figure 2, the car i 5 so moves the lever 23 that it engages spring 3i and Acompresses and tensions it to the end that when the car I6 completely disengages the bumper 26, spring 3| through its expansive action will restore the parts to the normal position of Figure l and thus close the door.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. A vehicle actuated closure actuator, comprising a hinged closure mounted to swing in substantially a horizontal plane outwardly to an open position, a bracket arm projecting from the outer side of the closure, a lever pivotally supported at one end thereof at a point remote to the outer side of said closure, said lever extending toward the closure, a toggle link connectthe opposite end of the lever to the free end of said bracket arm and at a distance from the closure substantially equal to the distance between the pivot points of the toggle link, and a vehicle body engaging element supported by said lever and having a cam portion disposed in the path of movement of a vehicle toward the outer side of the closure, when the latter is in a closed position, vrand adapted to be engaged by the: vehicle body for rocking said lever on its pivot for actuating the closure through the toggle link and bracket arm for moving the closure to an open position during the initial swinging movement of the lever, when the vehicle body engag- .ing element is swung out of the path of movement of the vehicle.

2. In combination with an outwardly opening hinged door, a bracket arm secured to and projecting from the outer side of the Hinged door, a link pivotally connected at one of its ends to the free end of the bracket arm and extending therefrom generally at an oblique angle thereto in the closed position of the door and in a horizontal plane, a lever having one end pivotally connected to the opposite end of the link, a post on which the opposite end of the lever is pivotally mounted for swinging movement in a horizontal plane and which is disposed remote to the door and on the outer side thereof, said link, lever and bracket arm being arranged to swing the door to an open position when the lever is swung in one direction on its last'l mentioned pivot, and a bumper pivotally mounted on the post and connected to the intermediate portion of the lever, said bumper having a portion extending generally toward the door and adapted to extend diagonally into the path of movement of a vehicle moving toward the outer side of the door to be engaged and swung thereby out of the path of movement of `the ment.

LAWRENCE H. HAWKES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 532,882 Keyes Jan. 22, 1895 536,561 Bonenberger Mar. 26, 1895 569,952 Bonenberger f Oct. 20, 1896 891,737 Sausser June 23, 1908 1,374,478 Stanton Apr. 12, 1921 

